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NEWSANALYSISUncertainty over the Lisbon treaty will make this year’s European elections more confusing than usual, says Andrew DuffThe European parliament is 30. It is set to enjoy a large increase in its powers if and when the Lisbon treaty comes into force. But, are people bothered? Eurobarometer polls are fairly consistent. About half the electorate claims to respect the parliament, although about three quarters concede that they know little or nothing about the EU’s system of government. Most people believe that the EU is indispensable if Europe is to face global challenges. A majority recognises the value of solidarity between European states and citizens and, unsurprisingly, social concerns have climbed up the rank since the onset of the financial and economic crisis. Of the EU’s role to make common policy, top priority is given to foreign and security policy, consumer protection and health, and climate change. Of the ties that bind, the euro is seen as the most important element of European identity. A unified system of social welfare would seem to be popular. Among anxieties, a majority feel that the size of the EU has grown too fast. Fewer than 40 per cent of electors say they are intending to vote in this June’s elections. At the last vote in 2004 the overall turnout was 46 per cent (compared to 62 per cent at the first European elections in 1979). Working class voters, women, the old and the young are the least interested in voting. Parliament, in conjunction with the commission, has been making some efforts to stimulate interest. In particular, the commission has proposed a revision of council directive 93/109 to make it easier for EU citizens to vote and stand in member states other than their own. The proposal is a modest one which aims to remove some bureaucratic obstacles, but even this is now blocked in the council by governments which are opposed to such a liberalisation of the franchise. Parliament, however, has hardly acquitted itself well in the matter of electoral reform. Its last resolution on the subject dates back to the 1998 Anastassopoulos report. My own proposals, which comprise a wide selection of reforms“Over 125 national political parties are currently represented in the parliament and they will be joined on the electoral battlefield by several more aspirants, many of rightwing populist tendencies”designed to improve the quality of the elections, have been thwarted at committee stage and will only be picked up again, all being well, after the new parliament gathers in July. The key item in the postponed reform package is the creation of a single transnational constituency from which a small number of MEPs would be elected. Although support for such a concept will appear in most of the party manifestos for this year’s elections, putting the idea into practice treads upon the prerogatives of national political parties, and is, accordingly, fiercely resisted. So we wait and see if the election campaign this year can reverse the downward trend. Over 125 national political parties are currently represented in the parliament and they will be joined on the electoral battlefield by several more aspirants, many of rightwing populist tendencies. The situation will be even more confusing than usual because of the continuing uncertainty over the fate of the Treaty of Lisbon. Candidates and parties will be unable to explain to the electorate precisely what powers the new parliament is to have. It will certainly be impossible to pretend that there is a big electoral contest in train for the appointment of the new president of the commission. Moreover, although 736 MEPs will be elected on 7 June, another 18 will be pre-elected on the presumption that Lisbon will one day enter into force. All very confusing. The fact that there is yet no constitutional settlement for Europe means that the barricades will again have to be erected between federalists and nationalists. The public may be excused for not being terribly interested in the constitutional question, but more in the quality of the public policy which emerges from Brussels and Strasbourg on the clutch of issues which most concern it, such as jobs, security and climate. Endless skirmishing over the sovereignty question may simply put people off voting, especially at a time when the social consequences of the economic recession will be being felt acutely. It is not clear at this stage how the new generation of voters which has never before experienced such economic difficulties will react politically. At one level, unpopular prime ministers like Gordon Brown, Brian Cowen and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will be blamed for the recession. At another level, however, the EU may be seen as a necessary safe haven in troubled times. Unless opposition parties can persuade voters that they will be the better ambassadors for their countries in Brussels, government parties may do better than expected. Better the devil you know...“Endless skirmishing over the sovereignty question may simply put people off voting, especially at a time when the social consequences of the economic recession will be being felt acutely”Andrew Duff is leader of the UK Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament16 February 2009 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 17 Issue 282 16 February 2009Yes, we can “THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA CREATES AN UNPRECENDENTED PSYCHOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITY TO RALLY MODERATE FORCES TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF BOTH TODAY AND TOMORROW”EU ambassador to the US John Bruton calls for a vigorous diplomatic partnership between Brussels and Wash The medicine her doctor prescribes should be the medicine she receives.The proliferation of counterfeit medicines poses a real and growing threat to patients around the world. Over a two month period in 2008 customs from the EU Member States seized more than 34 million * illegal medicines. * Brussel ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ????????????? ??????? Issue 282 16 February 2009NEWSANALYSIS 6 Eu and Us The EU-US relationship is heading in the right direction, argues John Bruton, but Brussels and Washington will have their work cut out in tackling the key problems facing the world today27 Real hope for seals MEPs should back an unconditional prohib CATHERINESTIHLEREDITORIAL TEAM Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Sarah Collins Martha Moss International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0)2 285 0828 newsdesk@theparliament. www.theparliament.com EDITORIAL BOARD Editor Catherine Stihler MEP Editorial board TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? NEWSANALYSIS“The US and the EU should take the lead in keeping the commitments taken by the G20 in November 2008 not to introduce protectionist measures. If we fail, we risk entering into a worldwide spiral of protectionism that can only hurt our economies further” and expect this to be reflected in Re .th ww e rl pagir steN: OW miamwLIMD ITEt. encoPES AC L/gamble ingventFAIR PLAY FOR GAMBLING DATE: Thursday 5th March LOCATION: European Parliament (Members Salon), Round Table with breakfast for delegates TIME: 08.00 09.30 FORMAT: Panel DebateOPENING UP THE EU’S MARKET IN GAMBLING AND SPORTS BET NEWSANALYSISBrand Europe? A .eu domain name provides more credibility and can give Europe’s firms a competitive edge, says Sirpa PietikäinenSome argue that European identity is a pipe dream. Some think that people and companies take root and develop primarily in a country and will always refer to it PROLIGEN PROLIGEN is an FP6 project that aims to enhance the endogenous regenerative capacity of injured kidneys based on information derived from genomics/ proteomics and functional genomics. The new genetic functions and the new cellular therapies that are discovered in the project will provide cl NEWSANALYSISEver closer union? Genowefa Grabowska explores the communications gap between the EU and its citizens – and how to bridge it“We are not seeking coalitions between states, we are uniting people,” said Jean Monnet. Though we all know that the European project cannot be taken forward withou IF THIS MAKES YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, IMAGINE HOW IT MAKES HER FEEL NEWSANALYSISDon’t net the sea anglers Struan Stevenson speaks out for recreational anglers, who he says are being targeted by Brussels bureaucracyIsuppose we shouldn’t be surprised that the European commission has published proposals to bring sea anglers under the stern control of Brussels and the c FISHERIES“There can be no justification for insisting on a plethora of new licenses, registers, log books and controls for fishermen who simply want to enjoy a day out” regulation stipulates that sea anglers will have to register their boats and log every fish they catch. EU member states will be fo ELECTION WATCHDevil in the detail16 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 16 February 2009 NEWSANALYSISUncertainty over the Lisbon treaty will make this year’s European elections more confusing than usual, says Andrew DuffThe European parliament is 30. It is set to enjoy a large increase in its powers if and when the Lisbon treaty comes into force. But, are people bothered? Eurobarometer CROATIAN NURSING TODAY C roatia is a country with a population of 4.4 million and with a social health insurance system. Since independence in 1990, Croatia went through changes to their political, economic and legal systems which have faced many challenges and difficulties. The health care system h NEWSANALYSISBeautiful south Croatia must work quickly if it is to meet its target of joining the EU by the end of the year, argues Joseph DaulThe European project was conceived on the hopes of peace, prosperity and the joining of forces towards a common goal. It was enlargement that contributed to p European Commission European Commission Enterprise and Industry Enterprise and Industry NEWSANALYSISWhat’s in a name? The name dispute with Greece is just one more brake on Macedonia’s accession, writes Erik Meijer, who fears that its candidate status could be long and protractedOn 21 January the European parliament’s foreign affairs committee (AFET) voted on my report on the progress EU EVENTSWomen in Business and Politics “Where are the women?” A panel debate at European Business Summit 2009 Date: Thursday 26 March Location: European Business Summit Tour Taxis, Brussels Format: Panel debate Time: 15.45-17.00 Debate topics: • The European Commission’s maternity proposals • NEWSANALYSISIce ageDBilyana Ilieva Raeva looks at the benefits of Iceland joining the EU in 2011uring the last six months relations between the EU and Iceland have undergone great changes, not institutionally or at an official level, but rather unofficially. It all started with the turmoil that was SPECIALREPORTAnimal welfare first An EU ban on seal products will have little impact on the commercial hunting of seals, writes Diana Wallis. What is needed is a clear labelling system that meets high animal welfare standardsLet’s be clear that we are currently dealing with a legislative proposal on TRADE IN SEAL FUR PRODUCTSFacts and misconceptionsE Dr Garry Stenson is head of the marine mammal section at the Canadian department of fisheries and oceansMisinformation about Canada’s seal hunt hides the fact that the annual cull is sustainable, well-managed and humane, writes Garry Stenson not di SPECIALREPORTReal hope for seals MEPs should back an unconditional prohibition on seal product trade and help put an end to the unacceptably cruel slaughter, argues Rebecca AldworthAs you read this, baby seals are being clubbed to death in Canada’s annual commercial seal slaughter, the largest kill DON’T LEAVE SOME SEALS OUT IN THE COLD© Bryan Cherry AlexanderD L O C E H T N I T U O S L A E S E M O S E V A E L T ’ N O DThe Inuit community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut,CanadaGIVE ALL SEAL HUNTS THE CHANCE TO LEARN FROM EU HUMANE PRACTICEThe International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF) and its Members u SPECIALREPORTSealing our future A ban on seal products will not address concerns regarding humane practices but will impose additional challenges to Inuit communities that can least afford to face them, argues Simon AwaThe European commission is proposing a ban on seals, or to be more precise, a ban No, we can’t stop the trade in cruelly obtained seal products with a labelling schemeYes, we can stop this trade with a full banA labelling scheme will NOT prevent products, made of inhumanely killed seals, from ending up on our EU market. A ban with a so-called ‘humane killing derogation’ is UNENFO SPECIALREPORTPracticalities and problems From a scientific viewpoint, the Canadian seal hunt is inhumane when compared to the standards adopted for farmed animals in Europe, reports Andy ButterworthCan commercial seal hunting be considered acceptably humane in comparison with standards required in E TRADE IN SEAL FUR PRODUCTSA threat to livelihoodsT Juliette Bailey is executive director of the International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF)The EU has the opportunity to make a positive contribution to remote coastal communities by not implementing a trade ban on seal products, writes Juliette Bailey m Ill-informed EU decision could deprive citizens of leading health product “Propaganda can lead us in making uneducated decisions – depriving people of value in day to day living.” Chief Roy S. Jones, Jr. Hereditary Chief of the Raven Wolf of Tanu Haida Gwaii, BC Canada(Dec. 2008)“Seal oil is mostly SPECIALREPORTProgressive values An EU trade ban on seal products would simply reflect the progressive values and choices of the majority of EU citizens, argues David LavigneWhy should seals be treated differently from other sentient mammals? When this question was recently asked at a hearing on trad THE CRUEL ...and the savage slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seals will come to an end. MEPs and Member States must impose a ban with no exemptions for so-called “humane slaughter” – a condition which can neither be applied nor policed in practice.Stop the bloodshed now!www.fueldesign.beSign th SPECIALREPORTTo ban or not to ban? As the previous articles have shown, the issue of seal hunting is highly emotive. Here we print the edited highlights of MEPs’ comments on the commission’s proposals currently going through parliament Frieda Brepoels The commission’s proposal on trade in seal produ TRADE IN SEAL FUR PRODUCTSinto consideration when hunting. They often hunt alone and only one or two seals at a time. They hunt for several months instead of just a few weeks and they only hunt when the weather is good. For the Inuit people the seal hunt is about survival and jobs. And this is entir SPECIALREPORThunting of seals which, in fact leads to the detriment of countries with small-scale hunting policies like for example the Nordic countries. In Sweden and Finland the hunting of seals is aimed at protecting the fish population which means that the proposed ban would create barriers for First pilot plant for CO 2 capture and H 2 production integrated in operating IGCCELCOGAS IGCC CCSELCOGAS is building (finishing July 2009) an integrated pilot plant of industrial scale (14 MWth) to capture CO 2 ready for geological storage and to obtain H 2 together with electricity production. Ma A coal power plant in Kansas. Chris Davies is expecting Barack Obama’s administration to have come up with firm commitments to CCS development by the end of the yearINSIDEEUHorizons of changeTThe EU must act quickly in developing CCS technology if it is to meet its target of having 12 demonstration CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGEThe price of carbonL European ParliamentCarbon capture and storage can only offer too little, too late to a new green deal, argues Jill Evans savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Just to demonstrate that the technology can work, CCS advocates have already manage Aiming fora CO 2 -free futureFortum’s Meri-Pori CCS demonstration • locates in Finland, a country with no suitable ? nal storage options • transportation of CO 2 is based on shipping • large-scale retro? t project providing important experience when taking CCS system into use in countries with a lot Gassnova SF T he objective of Gassnova SF (Gassnova) is to manage the interests of the Norwegian state within CCS (carbon capture and storage). Gassnova is the State’s executing enterprise in the development and operation of facilities and infrastructures for planned CO 2 capture and storage solutio INSIDEEUThe burning question Oil and CO 2 MethaneCan CCS really help to reduce carbon emissions? Sarah Collins finds out ty Electrici Heat els Fossil FuAgroup of around 35 companies, think-tanks and national advisors from across Europe is currently embarking on an ambitious project to “recycle” the CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGERisk assessmentC Gyula Hegyi is a Socialist MEP and member of parliament’s environment committeeWith the technology still relatively new, Gyula Hegyi has his doubts about the use of carbon capture and storage “This is a very new technology and we still don’t know its advant ENEL and CCS T o allow sustainable use of coal for power generation Enel is leading the development of CCS technologies through a comprehensive research and demonstration program including The Porto Tolle post-combustion demo project that purpose suitable areas were already identified and preliminar EPAD THE EUROPEAN PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORY 2009 Visit www.dodonline.co.uk/sho to order your copy, or contact nicole.vanoosterom@dods +44 (0)20 7091 7500One of the most comprehensive guides to names and addresses in Brussels, covering all the EU institutions, diplomatic and press corps, consultancies INSIDEEUThis could be Rotterdam Ger van Tongeren thinks Rotterdam is ideally placed to become a CCS hub for its neighboursThe Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI) was established in 2007 as a collaboration between the city, the port authority, the environmental protection agency and business organisat ??????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ??????? ??????? 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